Stephen Jackson happy to be back in NBA, with Clippers

Stephen Jackson, then a member of the San Antonio Spurs, plays against his current team, the Clippers, at Staples Center in February.

Stephen Jackson, then a member of the San Antonio Spurs, plays against his current team, the Clippers, at Staples Center in February. (Harry How / Getty Images)

Broderick Turner

While working out in San Antonio, Stephen Jackson said he got a call from Clippers assistant coach Tyronn Lue a “few weeks ago” telling the free-agent swing man that Los Angeles had interest in him.

On Tuesday night, Jackson arrived in Boston and signed his contract and on Wednesday morning he was at the Clippers’ shoot-around at TD Garden as L.A. prepared for a game later that night against the Celtics.

Jackson played in his last NBA game on April 6 for the San Antonio Spurs, who released the 13-year veteran before the playoffs.

No team signed Jackson until the Clippers offered him a non-guaranteed contract for the veteran minimum of $1.3 million that will be pro-rated.

With rookie small forward Reggie Bullock (sprained left ankle) going down Saturday in Cleveland and with J.J. Redick (broken right hand, torn ligaments on the side of his righthand) and backup small forward Matt Barnes (left retina eye surgery) all out, the Clippers needed another small forward to back up starter Jared Dudley.

“I knew it would happen,” said Jackson, who averaged 15.3 points and made 33.4% of his three-pointers over his career. “I just didn’t know when. My faith is unbelievable. My confidence in myself is unbelievable. I played the game [13] years. I played the game the right way. It’s not too many people who play the game harder than me.

“So I knew the way I approached the game and appreciated the game, I knew they would bring me back one day. I couldn’t say I knew it was going to be the Clippers.”